Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream for dry sensitive skin

9 Signal Peptides
Pygmy Waterlily
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14
Superior
- SuperiorDry Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best moisturizers for dry sensitive skin.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Excellent suitability for your dry and sensitive skin is provided by the high concentration of multiple peptides like Sh-Oligopeptide-1 and Sh-Oligopeptide-2, which are known for their skin-restoring and plumping properties, alongside humectants such as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate that deeply hydrate and smooth the skin.
- The inclusion of Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Linoleic Acid further nourishes and supports your skin barrier, enhancing overall comfort and suppleness.
- This formula is safe for your skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and is formulated with soothing components.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using this moisturizer 3 times a week and move to daily use if your dry skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toner in the morning, or after your serum in the evening. Always pair it with SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing it harshly to protect your sensitive skin.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help with hydration absorption. This also works well for dry and flaky skin types.
- Do a patch test before your first use. Avoid the eye area to prevent any irritation.
People Say
★4.2Overall rating based on 7.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is frequently praised for its lightweight, non-greasy texture that firms and plumps the skin, making it a favorite for combination and oily skin types. It also performs well under makeup and is generally well-tolerated by sensitive skin. However, some users with very dry skin find it lacks sufficient hydration, and a significant number of reviews mention the high price point as a drawback.
Highlights
Lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
- “Gel-cream hybrid, absorbs instantly, non-greasy finish.”
High price Mostly Mentioned
- “Expensive, "not worth it," "robbery" for the amount.”
Hygienic packaging Often Mentioned
- “Airless pump jar, precise dosing, keeps ingredients stable.”
Makeup compatibility Sometimes Noted
- “Wears well under foundation, no pilling, acts as a primer.”
Sensitive skin friendly Sometimes Noted
- “Fragrance-free, non-irritating, soothing for most users.”
Visible results Sometimes Noted
- “Plumper skin, improved firmness, smoother texture.”
Dry skin hydration Sometimes Noted
- “Not moisturizing enough for dry skin, requires mixing with oil.”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused whiteheads, cystic acne, or closed comedones for some.”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Hard to gauge remaining product, difficult to empty completely.”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Smells like "play-dough," "plastic," or "yeast" (natural ingredient scent).”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.my, influenster.com, spacenk.com, skinsort.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream one of the best fits for dry sensitive skin?
This cream is an exceptional fit for dry sensitive skin because it combines multiple peptides that plump and restore the skin with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to deeply hydrate and smooth dry areas. Additionally, marula oil and linoleic acid nourish the skin barrier to enhance comfort without causing irritation.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
This cream is a great fit for your dry sensitive skin due to multiple peptides that plump and restore, alongside glycerin and sodium hyaluronate which deeply hydrate and smooth the skin. Additionally, marula seed oil and linoleic acid nourish and support your skin barrier for enhanced comfort.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What do Signal Peptides do for dry sensitive skin?
Signal peptides help make dry sensitive skin feel firmer and look smoother while supporting a strong skin barrier. This type of skin needs soothing ingredients like ceramides, panthenol, and plant extracts alongside peptides to calm irritation and lock in moisture safely.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
What does Pygmy Waterlily do for dry sensitive skin?
Pygmy Waterlily helps calm dry sensitive skin by providing antioxidant protection against environmental stress and supporting skin comfort. This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation and works to keep skin feeling soft and smooth.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes in the evening routine, after your soothing toner and before your moisturizer. Lovi routines put treatments in the evening for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying your retinol first and following with this moisturizer to help keep your dry, sensitive skin calm and comfortable. Using a gentle moisturizer alongside retinoids is unlikely to cause irritation and helps support your skin barrier while it adjusts.
Cutis, 2006Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
How often should I use this cream?
This cream is well suited for your dry sensitive skin and can be used in your evening routine. Daily application helps deeply hydrate and smooth your skin while supporting your skin barrier for enhanced comfort.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin, as its gentle formula contains soothing ingredients and no harsh additives. Reviewers also report a low rate of breakouts.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around the eyes and on the body because its gentle peptide and glycerin formula helps hydrate and smooth delicate areas. The skin around the eyes and on the body is thin and prone to dryness, so it benefits greatly from the deep moisture and soothing care provided by this cream.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Topical application of Sclerocarya birrea nut oil is non-irritant, exhibits significant moisturising and hydrating effects on lipid-dry skin, and shows occlusive properties on normal skin in healthy caucasian adult female volunteers.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015Water lily rhizome extract protected human epidermal keratinocytes against UVB-induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis by reducing reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptotic signaling while increasing antiapoptotic proteins and antioxidant levels.
Pharmacology, 2016Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Bacillus Folic Acid Extract Ferment, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Acetyl Glutamine, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aspartic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 60, Lactic Acid Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Isomalt, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenylpropanol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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